Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Jacques Kallis has batted for the team captain Dinesh Karthik to be included in India’s squad for the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2019.
Kallis said he would pick Karthik for his experience and role of a middle-order batsman with a good rate. He believed that the wicketkeeper-batsman would fit in well as number four batsman in the team.
Praising his batting performance in ODIs, the former South African all-rounder said Karthik has been one of the best finisher he had ever seen. On his role for KKR in IPL 2019, Kallis said the wicketkeeper can keep himself calm under pressure.
Supporting Kallis view, KKR team mentor Abhishek Nayar said Karthik has shown them his versatility in the past two years and he didn’t necessarily have to be a back-up wicket-keeper.
“You can use him anywhere in the batting order. He is someone I feel should be definitely in that World Cup squad,” said Nayar.
Karthik, who made international debut in 2004 against England, has scored 1738 runs and hit nine half-centuries in his 91 ODI appearances. He was last seen playing in New Zealand series in January. He has accumulated 93 runs from nine matches in IPL 2019 to date.
India face South Africa in their first match on June 5 in Hampshire.
